How to Exercise During Your Menstrual Cycle

The menstrual cycle has 4 phases that bring various hormonal changes. Hormone levels rise and fall during the menstrual cycle. Depending on your hormone levels, you will feel different. Those hormonal changes affect our desire and motivation to train, affect muscle adaptation, and how the body is energized. We need to understand these hormonal changes so that we can do what is best for our body at the right moment of the cycle so that we have more energy. With good preparation, we will enable the balanced work of hormones through nutrition and training.

1.  Menstrual phase. The levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone are low. We recommend light, moderate physical activity (stretching, walking, yoga. You should eat foods rich in iron (spinach, lentils, red meat).

2.  Follicular phase. Estrogen and serotonin levels are on the rise. During that time you are more tolerant of pain with improved strength and endurance.  This is a period of strong motivation and the right time for intense cardio training, strength training, CrossFit, etc.  Insulin sensitivity is at its highest, so the body will make the best use of glycogen and you will get the most benefit from carbohydrates.  Of course, do not leave out proteins and fats.  We recommend food that supports good digestion (green, leafy vegetables, cinnamon, and kefir).

3. Ovulation phase. The level of the hormone estrogen continues to rise.  You can still train intensely, but you are more prone to injury, as high estrogen levels affect the ligaments. That is why it is important to pay attention to the correct technique during exercise. Metabolism speeds up and your body will demand a higher intake of sugar and carbohydrates. Try to fool him with a higher protein intake, and moderate fats and carbohydrates, or take care of the caloric balance. Our recommendation is to eat food that will keep you full for a longer time (wholemeal pasta, wholemeal rice, quinoa).

4. Luteal phase. This is the period when the body prepares for the cycle again, which means that it is accompanied by symptoms such as bloating, food cravings, etc. in other words, this is the phase that is most unpopular and undesirable. The need for carbohydrates is even more pronounced, and you feel tired and listless. In this phase, we recommend reducing the intensity of the training.  Bodyweight exercises can be practiced. Over-salted foods should be avoided, as salt binds water and retains it, as well as foods rich in processed sugars.

Exercising during your cycle is thought to improve mood and reduce PMS symptoms because exercise stimulates the release of feel-good endorphins in the brain.  Exercise also increases circulation, which helps reduce menstrual cramps.  It also helps to regulate the irregular menstrual cycle in a natural and healthy way.  During the menstrual cycle, it is quite normal for body weight to fluctuate.
Exercising the abdominal muscles during menstruation may not be the best option.  It is much better to relax them than to drink them.  But if you don’t have such symptoms, do them as normally as possible.

Easy running is perfectly fine.  However, running accelerates circulation in the whole body and can cause stronger bleeding.  Therefore, during that period, do not drink with all your strength.  Also, the lungs work better when there is no bleeding, so there is no need for intensive running.

Swimming is still one of the exercises that are most recommended and will benefit you a lot.  You can also use a warm bath.

Yoga is an ideal physical activity during menstruation that relaxes both the mind and body.  It is only recommended to avoid positions in which the head is turned down and the body is up because it can contribute to additional cramps and headaches. We advise you to practice simple stretching. Cobra pose can greatly contribute to reducing stomach cramps.

However, every organism is not the same, not all women experience the menstrual cycle in an identical way and not all have the same symptoms. However, most women feel certain changes that are not very pleasant. That’s why the best advice is to listen to your own body, adapt to it, and not work against yourself.  It’s okay to take a break once in a while.